Copy-holder.



C. F. LUDINGTON.

COPY HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2s, 1912.

1,087,672. Patented Feb.`17, 191.4.

CoLuMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.,wAsHxNGTON. D. c.

CHARLES F. LUDINGTON, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

COPY-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Feb. 17, 1914.

Application filed September 23, 1912. Serial No. 721,743.

To all whom t may conce/m Be it known that I, CHARLES F. LUDrNerox, a citizen of the United States, residing at- New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State or' Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Copy- Holders, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to improvements in copy holders, and the object of my improvement is to produce a copy holder for use in connection with a typewriter and is suitable for being positioned on a table or desk to one side of the typewriter when in use, and which may be used aswell on one side of the typewriter as the other as may be desired.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved copy holder' in position 'for use on a desk or table.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a front face view of the same. Fig. 4

is a reverse view of the same. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the same on a desk or table, showing one position of use. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line .0c-m of Fig. 3. Fig; 7 is a sectional view on the line y-y of Fig. 4.

My copy holder comprises a back board or back 1 that is suitable for supporting a copy sheet or book and which is itself provided with collapsible supporting means for the rear portion which in coperation with supporting means for the Jfront end serve to support the same normally in an inclined position as shown in Fig. 2 and which may be at an angle between 30 and 45 degrees relatively to the top of the desk or table 10. A marker 2 is positioned adjacent the front tace of the back and is supported so as to be moved over the said front Jface.

The board 1 comprises a pair of laterally disposed channel members 13 and 14 crossconnected at the rear by cross-braces comprising an upper cross-brace 45 at the upper ends and a lower cross-brace 46 that is locatedat an appreciable distance above the lower ends of the said channel members 13 and 14. Screws 38 serve to hold the said channel members 13 and 14 and braces 45 and 46 together.

rEhe channel members 13 and 14 are similar and comprise each the channel proper of inverted U shape, having an inner side wall or web portion 15 on the inner side, an

outer web portion 17 on the outer side, and

a bridging portion 16 at the upper side cross-connecting the said web portions 15 and 17, and there is an inwardly directed flange 37 extending from the rear edge of the inner web portion 15 inwardly suitably to rest on the cross-braces 45 and 46 and to be secured thereto by means of the screws 3S. Between the web portions 15 and 17 there is a space 18, which space in the left channel member 14 is utilized `for housing a chain 7 in a manner to be described.

The back 1 comprises a body portion that is rectangular and fills the upper portion of the space between cross-braces 45 and 46 and adjacent the lower end is provided with an upwardlyv directed lip 12 thatl extends hori- Zontally across the said lower end. The lip 1Q is formed by an upwardly directed return bend of the material of the body portion, the lower and rear edge of which is provided with an upwardly directed iiange 49 which extends under the lat-eral anges 37, being between the same and the lower cross-piece 4". The said iange 49 is secured in such position by the clamping effect of the lower screws 38 and serves as a support for the lower end of the body portion. At the upper end the body portion has the edge turned over and downwardly over the upper edge of the upper cross-bar 45, thus providing a iinge 55 suitable Jfor entering under the lateral anges 37 and to be held by the upper screws 3S as in the case of the lower end of the body portion, and to serve as support for the upper end thereof. The lip 12 extends between the inner web portions 15 of the right and left channel members 13 and 14,v and is appreciably above the lower ends of the channels 13 and 14.

The marker 2 comprises a strip of sheet metal having the right end resting on the top portion 16 of the right channel 13 and having the left end connected by screws 22 to the top plate of a carriage 23 and having the upper edge positioned horizontally and appreciably above the front face of the body portion of the back to provide clearance for the copy. The carriage mentioned is formed of sheet metal and comprises the top plate mentioned which extends Vfor an ap preciable length along the top 16 of the left channel member 14, a lateral plate 24 that extends downward from the plate 23 and engages with the outer face of the outer web 17 and a tongue 25 that extends inward from the lateral plate 24, engaging with the bottom edge of the outer web portion 17 and which extends into the space 18 between the outer web portion 17 and inner web portion 15 suitably to enter between the upper and lower branches 50 and 51 of the chain 7. An ear 27 extends inward within the space 18 and downward longitudinally from the tongue 25 and is provided with a hole suitable for receiving the lower end, or head end of the screw or rivet 28 the upper portion of which passes through a link of the upper branch 50 of the chain and thence through an extension 29 of the top plate 23. The extreme upper end of the screw or rivet 28 is provided with a knob 30 which serves as a handle wherewith to move the carriagev along the left channel 14 and to move the marker and the chain.

A spring 9 formed of a liat strip has the free end held resiliently engaged with the face of the body portion of the back and has the fixed end secured to the left channel 14, near the upper end thereof, and serves to hold the copy holder or book against the said face of the body portion.

A guide pulley or drum 31 is pivotally supported at the upper end of the left channel 14 in the space 18 and is suitable for supporting and guiding the upper end of the chain. At the lower end of the space 18 in the channel 14 a sprocket 32 is fixedly mounted on a shaft 33 and is suitable for supporting the lower end of the chain and for driving the said chain responsive to a turning movement of the said shaft 33. The chain 7 is endless, and is operatively supported by the drum 31 and sprocket 32, and the upper branch 50 thereof is attached to the carriage in the manner described. The shaft 33 extends across the space 34 between the channels 13 and 14 and below the lip 12. At the middle portion of the shaft 33 there is fixedly mounted a finger wheel 65 of appreciable size and suitable to be engaged with the finger for turning the shaft 33 and thereby operating the marker 2.

The lower end of the channels 13 and 14 are provided with brackets 35 having each a downwardly projecting foot 36, which latter are cross-connected by a cross-bar 66. Accordingly, the cross-bar 66 is positioned at the lowest point at the front end of the copy holder.

The inwardly turned lianges 37 coperate with the cross-pieces 45 and 46 to form a rectangular frame-work. At the upper Vmiddle portion of the said inwardly turned llanges 37 there are provided hinge sleeve members 59, there being one such hinge Vsleeve 59 at each lateral edgeof the framework mentioned. A generally U u shaped wire 67 has the ends pivotally engaged with the said hinge sleeves 59, the lateral arms 39 thereof being of suiicient length to give proper inclination to the body portion when in the open position and the outer or apex portion 40 being suitable for a supporting foot and of appreciable width. The middle of the said apex portion 40 is provided with an inwardly directed loop 41 suitable for engaging with the free end 42 of a positioning spring 68 which is suitably notched to engage therewith as shown at 43. The positioning spring 68 is formed of flat strip and has the lower end lixedly secured to the bottom cross-piece 46, as by a screw or rivet 43 and is of suitable length to have the notched end 42 engage with the loop 41 and to lock the loop 67 in the extended position for supporting the rear end of the back 1 as shown in Fig. 2.

When the spring is disengaged from the loop the said loop folds either upward or downward against the rear of the back 1, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 4 and the spring assumes a position adjacent thereto. As described, the supporting mechanism 3 for the rear end, which comprises the loop 67 and spring 68, is readily collapsible, and permits of packingA the copy holder in a small space.

As described, the lower lip 12 is horizontal and therefore a copy paper or book resting on the body portion of the back 1 and having the lower edge thereof in abutment with the lip 12 is brought automatically square with the body portion, and correspondingly square with the marker, which is horizontal and parallel with the lip 12.

The duty of the spring 9 is to hold the paper or book against the back, and the said spring is relatively light, so that the copy or leaf may be readily slipped under the same. The finger wheel 65 is generally used to lower the marker to uncover copy and the handle 30 is usedto raise the same to the upper position.

By having the lip 12 appreciably above the lower ends of the channels 13 and 14 the lower portions 44 of the said channels serve as supporting legs for the lower end of the back and the space 34 mentioned is provided between the said legs 44 and which space is suitable for an operating'space for the finger wheel 65. The shaft 33 is pivotally supported between the said legs 44.

By providing the cross-bar 66 at thelowest point at the front end of the holder, either with brackets 35 as shown or without such brackets, the said cross-bar 66 serves as the support proper for the said front end. As the said supporting cross-bar extends across the full extent of the said front end when in use it is permissible to have one end of the cross-bar and an appreciable portion of the length thereof overhanging the supporting desk or table as Vshown in Fig. 5. In other words, by 'the arrangement and construction described, one corner of the entire device may overhang the desk or table, and notwithstanding the same the device Will be operatively supported in condition of stability such as Will permit freely the operation of the finger Wheel.

An extension piece G9 may be provided, secured to the upper part of the back Which extends above the body portion when opened out and serves to support a book cover and possibly a plurality of leaves of a copy book which may extend above the said body portion. As shown the said extension is pivotally connected by one end to the back orp the upper cross-piece 4:5 at the middle thereof by means of a rivet 60 whereby the saine may be turned or opened to the extended position as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 for use and may be folded inward along the Cross-piece either to the right or left and is of such length that When in such folded condition the free end will clear the channels i3 and l-l.

I claim as my invention A copy holder comprising a back, means for supporting the front end thereof, and means for supporting the rear end thereof the latter means comprising a `U shaped member of Wire, pivotally connected to the said back by its ends, the apex portion suitable for serving as a supporting foot, a loop located in the said apex portion, and a flat spring member having` one end fixed to the said back and the free end thereof suitably notched to pro-vide locking engagement With the said loop.

CHARLES F. LUDNGTON.

lWitnesses S. H. CLARKE, R. W. EDWARDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents Washington, D. G. 

